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Monthly Archives: October 2017

Iloilo City mayor dismissed for serious dishonesty

MANILA (Updated) — The Office of the Ombudsman has found Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog guilty of serious dishonesty and meted him the penalty of dismissal from the service and perpetual disqualification from public office. The Ombudsman handed down the guilty verdict after Mabilog failed to properly account or explain his sources of income, which resulted to an increase in his networth by over P8.9 million in a span of one year. The Ombudsman said Mabilog’s Statement of Assets Liabilities and Networth (SALN) increased to P68,341,622.40 in 2013 from P59,358,539.89 in 2012 “due to his new real property and investments”. “Thus, within one year respondent’s networth increased by P8,983,082.52, which by any standard, was grossly disproportionate to his legitimate income as a public official and businessman,” the decision dated August 29, 2017 read. That even with his business investments, respondent cannot satisfactorily explain his purchase in cash of the 664 square meters residential property, acquisition of new investments and increase in cash and cash equivalent, amounting to P8,983,082.52, it added.

“No businessman can generate a net income of almost one-half of his equity investments, as in respondent’s case where his networth amounted to 45 percent of his declared stock equities and investments,” it said. The Ombudsman said that Mabilog did not state in his SALN his wife’s work as a comptroller in Canada, which he claimed was earning “huge income” enough to contribute in the increase of his SALN. The Ombudsman said Mabilog’s alleged business interests in Mega Pacific Food Services Inc., Iloilo One Esplanade Realty, Iloilo Happy Haus Donuts, and Global Jami Motors Corporation reveals a “conflict of interest” in his duties as a city mayor. Mabilog’s business interests violate the Norms and Conduct of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, while his interest in the Iloilo One Esplanade Realty “showed he had used his position to give his business unwarranted advantage over other businesses,” it added. Meanwhile, the case of grave misconduct relative to the appointment of Executive Assistant for Dengue Concerns Patrick Allan Sy, who is an incorporator in some of Mabilog’s business, and the Iloilo Esplanade Realty was dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence. Also, the charge of dishonesty relative to the alleged loan of Mabilog in a bank in Canada was dismissed for lack of merit. Journalist and former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada, who filed the complaint against Mabilog in June 2015, said he has mixed emotions about the decision handed down by the Ombudsman. “First, I am happy because this decision is a vindication for me. The truth has finally demolished all the black propaganda thrown against me for several years now. This is a triumph for justice. No longer can anybody accuse me of falsehoods in the several graft cases I have filed against Mayor Mabilog,” he said. “Second, I am also saddened because the penalty imposed is the harshest under the law. It didn’t have to end this way if only Mayor Mabilog listened to the criticism I and other members of media had leveled at him since he became City Mayor of Iloilo City. Mayor Mabilog is far from perfect as a public official, but I recognize that he also has the welfare of his constituents in mind, and he is loved by many. He has done a lot of service to the city despite his shortcomings,” he added. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier accused Mabilog of having connections to drug syndicates and tagged his city as “most shabulized”. The city mayor left the country on August 31 after Duterte repeatedly warned him to end his ties with drug personalities or risk being killed. Mabilog and his wife and children went overseas citing concerns to their safety. (ABC/SunStar Philippines)

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Ombudsman orders dismissal of Iloilo Mayor Mabilog

By: Nestor P. Burgos Jr. – @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer October 26, 2017

ILOILO CITY — The Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from service of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog after he was found guilty of serious dishonesty in relation to his “unlawful acquisition of wealth.”

The case is in relation to a complaint filed by Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada against Mabilog. /je
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Iloilo mayor Mabilog’s camp denies report he was ousted

October 26, 2017

The camp of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog on Thursday dismissed reports that he has been removed from office following an order from the Office of the Ombudsman.

According to a Super Radyo dzBB report by Ivan Aguana, Mabilog’s spokesperson, Mark Piad, said they have not received any dismissal order from the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Aguana said even the city’s DILG director, Attorney Ferdinand Panes, has not received any information on the supposed dismissal order for Mabilog.

In a 13-page decision dated August 29, the Ombudsman ordered Mabilog’s dismissal after finding him guilty of serious dishonesty for his failure to explain his alleged questionable wealth worth P8.9 million from 2012 to 2013.

Based on his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN), Mabilog wealth grew to P68.3 million in 2013 from P59.4 million.

On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte warned Mabilog that he would be “next” as he stressed that he was also going after “big fish” like slain Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa amid the government’s war against illegal drugs.

Mabilog has been tagged by Duterte as one of the country’s narcopoliticians.

The mayor has denied the allegations against him.

Last month, Mabilog filed a sick leave to undergo treatment for diabetes abroad. He has yet to return to the country. — Anna Felicia Bajo/MDM, GMA News

Trillanes is ‘father of fake news,’ says Binay camp

The camp of former Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday called Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV “the father of fake news’’ in the Philippines after the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a libel complaint against the senator.

Trillanes, who is now in the United States, has no statement on the matter, his staff said.

Binay’s spokesperson Joey Salgado said the DOJ’s resolution to file a libel complaint against Trillanes in the Makati Regional Trial Court “vindicated [Binay] over the malicious claims made by the senator.”

The DOJ’s move, he added, only confirmed that the Senate hearings “were purely in aid of political demolition, not legislation.”

According to Salgado, the DOJ’s resolution also exposed Trillanes as “a fake crusader against fake news,” calling the senator the “pioneer of fake news” since 2015.

“He was spreading fake news since 2015. He deserves the unflattering title ‘father of fake news in the Philippines,’” he added.

Trillanes lashes out at Malacañang amid treason allegations

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV hit Malacañang on Monday after the Palace said claims that he committed treason should be investigated first before any conclusions could be made.

Some netizens criticized Trillanes on social media after he met with US Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who confirmed in a Twitter post that they discussed “protecting #human rights amid [the] narcotics crisis” in the Philippines.

Rubio previously criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs as he, together with two other US senators, sent a letter expressing “grave concern on the extrajudicial killings and human rights violations” in the country.

DOJ files libel case vs Trillanes

A case for libel has been filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) against Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

The Information (charge sheet) was filed before the Makati Court Friday at around 2 p.m.

Information was signed by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Edwin S. Dayon.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by former vice president Jejomar Binay.

In his complaint, he accused Trillanes of defaming, maligning his reputation and causing his dishonor.

Binay cited in his complaint an article published in INQUIRER.net where the senator was quoted as saying that he will lead in exposing at a Senate committee hearing an alleged P100-million “racket” in Makati about “ghost senior citizens” claiming benefits during the former vice president’s term as Mayor of Makati. /je

In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Rubio, who previously criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, said that aside from the drug war, they also discussed combating corruption and the alliance between US and the Philippines.

Rubio was one of two legislators who earlier introduced a bill to restrict the supply of defense equipment to the Philippine National Police amid concerns on the drug killings in the country.

“America and the Philippines have an important and enduring alliance, which is why the growing number of extrajudicial killings as part of the Philippine National Police’s ‘war on drugs’ is deeply alarming,” the US senator had earlier said.

Commenting on Trillanes’ meeting with the US senator, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said he hopes Trillanes did not give biased information.

“We do hope the correct information has been given and not biased information designed to adversely affect US-Philippines relations,” Abella said in a press briefing.

“On whether the senator went to the US to ask some sectors to convince the US President not to visit (the Philippine), the Palace is not privy to that,” he added.

When asked about this, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said he knew of Trillanes’ trip but was not informed of the details.

US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits in November.

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DWBL 1242 kHZ AM band, Saturday afternoons, 2:30

to 4:00. Note: The first broadcast on September 9, 2017 was not uploaded in YouTube. From the fifth program onward, aside from the YouTube LIVE STREAMING, the program was also shown on Facebook LIVE STREAMING.

Like this:

Based on YouTube video views, the new Pro Duterte radio program called RADYO KILUSANG PAGBABAGO is now the highest rated program in DWBL 1242 AM band. At the time of this writing, five radio programs have been aired.

In its debut show last September 9, 2017, it was an all sound, music and voice transmission which is how it has always been since the Golden Age of Radio in the Philippines.

On its second Saturday program, the live radio transmission was hooked to YouTube LIVE STREAMING giving the listeners the chance to see the show as it was being broadcast. During the airing or a few hours after the program ended, exactly TWO (2) had watched the program on YouTube.

That was not a very auspicious beginning but it was a good start nonetheless. The URL or link of that September 16, 2017 video was distributed to friends, relatives and allies which started the ball rolling. The beauty of YouTube is that it is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed from all over the world. The September 23 and 30 shows were also telecast LIVE through YouTube. By the end of two weeks of showing, September 16 and September 23 film clips, the total cumulative video hits had reached almost 1000. Radyo Kilusang Pagbabago reached another milestone on its fifth show (fourth on YouTube) when the program was also broadcast on Facebook LIVE STREAMING. This allowed a number of the viewers to give their comments and show their THUMBS UP (for Likes) and HEARTS (for loving the show). Names and locations of those who engaged in the Facebook video were mentioned in the program to the delight of the audience. Significantly, the majority of those who actively participated in the program were OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) who shared their observations and insights about the fantastic Internet speed in their adopted countries. Alas, Filipinos in the home country have to suffer from expensive Internet access as well as SLOW speed.

Radyo Kilusang Pagbabago achieved its number one status in DWBL because it has tens of thousands of members. Kilusang Pagbabago Metro Manila also has a huge Facebook base both in fan pages (Likes) and groups (members) thus they have the platform for mass dissemination.